Ballet slipper



Dec. 30, 1924. 1,520,768

B. GOLDSTEIN ET AL BALLET sLIPPER Filed May 9, 1924 INVENTORS @um M'V//l Wr MWA.

fha/f ATTORNEYS Iii Patented @en 30, 1924.

UNTTED STATES PATENT.: ori-TCE.

ylBENJ'AMIN GOLDSTEIN AND SALVATORE MASTRARRIGO, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., AS- SIGNORS T0 JOSEPH ARALE, SALVATORE MASTRARRIGO, AND BENJAMIN GOLD- STEIN, ALD 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., COPARTNERS DOING BUSINESS AS BEN & SALLY,

0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

.application filed. MayV 9,

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN Gonos'rmN and SALVATORE MASTRARRIGO, citizens of the lUnited States, and residents, respectively, of New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, and of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful `Tmprovements in Ballet Slippers, of which the following is a specification. l

The conventional type of ballet slipper used by toe dancers is formed with a rela-v tively stiii or substantially rigidly reenforced toe portion, usually extending well forwardly of the sole of the slipper and sustaining the weight of the dancer. This reenforced portion substantially encircles the forward end of the dancers foot. 'The comparatively stift toe portion causes a very audible and quite undesirable tapping noise when dancing on an uncarpeted floor. F urthermore, the shocksof impact when the toe strikes the ground is wholly uncushioned and 7 transmitted directly to the dancer. The life of the slippers is comparatively short because the reenforced toe portion quickly wears through the satin or other outer covering of the slipper.

The object of the present invention is to provide a ballet slipper for toe dancers which will overcome all of these disadvan' tages and discomforts without destroying the attractive appearance of the slipper.

ln the preferred embodiment of the invention we utilize a concealed resilient cushioning member in the toe ofthe shoe, preferably interposed between the shoe cover and the stiil' reenforcement. The normal ap pearance of the slipper is thus retained, noise is eliminated, the life of the shoe prolonged and the dan'ger of slipping minimized.

In the` accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view ofa ballet slipper constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary 'diagrammatic vertical section through the forward end of the slipper; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary pla-n view of a section of lining showing the manner BALLET surreale.

19%. Serial No. 711,997.

cushioning pad is atwhich is attractive in appearance and whose wearing qualities are good. Two thicknesses of lining material 11, l2, are used inside of the outer cover and are preferably secured to the outer cover at the upper edge of the slipper by a binding strip 13. They may be further secured by sewing at 14C just below the binding strip. lt will be notedthat the toe portion 'of the shoe projects well forwardly beyond the sole 15 and the insole 16. The sole and the insole are usually of'leather, are highly arched and serve to clamp between them the edges of the material forming the outer cover 10 and the linings 11 and l2. The sole and insole are preferably secured together by nailing, although any convenient manner of attachment which will rmly secure the edges of the linings and the cover might be employed. If desired, the insole may include a metallic arched reenforement 16, Between the linings there are interposed several sheets of reenforcing material 17, usuallyv of heavy canvas. Any number of layers of this reenforcement may be utilized and preferably the ed'ges of these layers are also clamped between the'sole and insole. This type of slipper is of the class known as a turned shoe, namely, one which is assembled inside out onia last and then turned. In manufacturing, the various layers of reenforcing material are pasted together, while the slipper is inside out on a last. The slipper is then turned and replaced on the last which retains the toe in proper shape during the drying of the paste. The paste used is o a nature to impart great stiffness to the reenforced toe as it dries,

acting almost like a cement on the canvas to insure a very rlgld reenforcement.

The slipper as thus far described is of conventional form and maybe constructed in .any well known manner and the details may the outer cover 10, at the toe of the shoe. Preferably the resilient ypad is of some spongy material such as ordinary vsponge rubber and secured as indicated in Fig. 3, by having one of its edges sewed to thev linin member 11. The pad is thus interpose betwwen the lining member 11 and the reenforcement' 17 and entirely concealed by lll the outer cover of the slipper.

We have not shown the usual ribbons or straps which serve to rmlyy secure the slipper upon a wearerls toot. Various expedients may be resorted to in this connection. The pad', 18, directly sustains the weight of a toe dancer, cushioning the shock of imact, eliminating the tapping noise usually incidental to the use of the reenforced toe and considerably prolonging the life of the shoe by protecting the outer cover from the direct grinding and wearing action of the still reenforcement.

Although the cushioning means might be of other material than the spongy pad which we have shown, it is desirable that it be readily compressible, `as well as resilient, since a relatively hard rubber cushion would not eliminate noise. Furthermore, with'a relatively hard cushion the reenforcement toe portion and resilient cushioning means associated with such toe portion.

2. A ballet slipper. for toe, dancing includ- 'ing a substantially rigidly reenforced toe portion and a spongy resilient shock absorblng member associated with'such toe portion.

3. Apballet slipper for toe dancing including a substantially rigidly reenforced toe portion concealed within the outer cover of ythe slipper and resilient cushioning means interposed between 'said reenforced toe portion andv said cover.

4. A ballet slipper for toe dancing, including a 'substantially ri 'dly reenforced toe i portion concealed within the outer cover of mangos the shoe and a spongy pad of resilient material interposed between the reenforced toe portion and the cover.

5. A ballet slipper for toe dancing, including a reenforced toe portion, a cover for the shoe, lining material interposed between the cover and the reenforced toe portion, and resilient cushioning means secured to the lining and interposed between the resilient toe portion'and the cover. l

6. A ballet slipper for toe dancing, including a sole portion terminating short of the forward end of the shoe, a relatively stid, reenforcedtoe portion, extending forwardly from the sole and lresilient cushioning means associated with such toe portion.

7 A ballet slipper for toe dancing, including a sole Y portion terminating short of the forward end of the shoe, a relativelyl stiff, reenforced toe portion, extending forwardly from the sole and resilient cushioning means associated with such toe portion, said cushioning means including a resllient pad concealed by the cover of the s oe.

8. A ballet slipper for toe dancing, including a relatively stiff reenforced toe portion and concealed resilient cushioning means associated with such toe portion.

9. A ballet slipper for toe dancing, including a relatively soft outer cover, inner ande outer lining members secured to the cushion, a relatively stili toe reenforcement between the lining members and-a resilient cushioning member interposed between the reenforcement and cover.

10. A ballet slipper .for'toe dancing, including a relatively soft outer cover, inner and outer lining members secured to the cushion, a relatively stiff' toe reenforcement between the lining members and a resilient cushioning member interposed between the reenorcement and cover, said cushioning member comprising a pad of spongy resilient material secured at one edge to the outer lining.

V11. A ballet slipper for toe dancing, including an outer cover and a substantially rigidly reenforced toe portion and a relatively soft cushioning pad interposed between the cover and the reenforced toe por tion. 'i

Signed at New York,'in the county of New York and State of New York, this 7th day of May, A. D. 1924.

, BENJAMIN GOLDSTEIN.

SALVATORE MASTRARRIGO. 

